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Settlement

In addition to the April 4, 2016, BP consent decree, BP and several other parties have entered settlements resulting from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. These settlements include civil and criminal claims.

Civil Settlements

MOEX OFFSHORE 2007 LLC (MOEX)

MOEX was a 10-percent non-operating investor in the lease on the Macondo well at the time of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and was the first entity to resolve civil penalty claims. The state of Florida received $10 million in the form of land acquisitions and stormwater management projects under a June 18, 2012, consent decree between MOEX and the U.S. Department of Justice.

DEP oversees the expenditure of $5 million on stormwater retrofit projects. These projects were built in different locations throughout Bay, Okaloosa and Santa Rosa counties. The other $5 million was utilized to acquire conservation easements and/or fee simple title to environmentally sensitive lands around the Panhandle, including Escribano Point and Seven Runs Creek. Escribano Point is managed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The conservation easement at Seven Runs Creek, which is a part of the Florida Forever project in Walton County, is managed by DEP's Division of State Lands.

Transocean Deepwater Inc., Transocean Holdings LLC, Transocean Offshore Deepwater Drilling Inc. and Triton Asset Leasing GMBH (Transocean Defendants)

On January 3, 2013, the court approved and entered a civil settlement between the United States and the Transocean Defendants. The partial consent decree specifies that the Transocean Defendants pay $1 billion in Clean Water Act civil penalties, which were the first funds dispersed through the formula outlined in the RESTORE Act.

Anadarko Petroleum Corporation (Anadarko)

On December 16, 2015, the court approved and entered a final judgement as to Anadarko, which was found liable for civil penalties under the Clean Water Act in the amount of $159.5 million. Anadarko had a 25- percent ownership stake in the Macondo well at the time of the Deepwater Horizon spill.

Criminal Settlements

In addition to the civil liability settlement for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, BP has settled its criminal liability, along with the Transocean Defendants. A set amount of the funds paid out under the criminal settlements are allocated to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), which will use this money to conduct or fund projects to remedy harm to resources where there has been injury to, or destruction of, loss of, or loss of use of those resources resulting from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Fourteen percent of the total allocation to NFWF’s Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund are expended on restoration projects in the state of Florida. NFWF is required to consult with the appropriate state resource managers to identify projects and to maximize the environmental benefits of the projects.

BP

On November 15, 2012, the Department of Justice announced a criminal settlement with BP in the amount of $4 billion. The criminal plea agreement, which was approved on January 29, 2013, specifies that $2.394 billion of the funds be paid out over five years to NFWF. Under this agreement, $335,160,000 is allocated to fund restoration projects in Florida.

Transocean

On January 3, 2013, the Department of Justice announced a criminal settlement with the Transocean Defendants in the amount of $400 million. The criminal plea agreement, which was approved on February 19, 2013, specifies that $150 million of the funds be paid out over two years to NFWF. Under this agreement, $21 million is allocated to fund restoration projects in Florida.

Last Modified:
August 4, 2023 - 11:23am

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